H&M will open its doors at Uptown at noon on Thursday, February 21. The chain was founded in Sweden in 1947 and has 2,700 stores worldwide. In nine years, H&M has opened 61 stores across Canada, with the 62nd at Uptown.
“One of the greatest things about H&M is we allow people to dress their personality, no matter what that is,” says Emily Scarlett, communications press manager and spokesperson for H&M Canada. “We feel like there is always something for everybody in the store. Depending on what you’re into that season or what trend speaks to you, you’ll be able to find something at the store.”
The Victoria H&M will have over 18,000 square feet of retail space. The store will house lines for ladies, men, and children. However, it’s the ladies who should be the most excited.
“The main focal point of the store will be our ladies collection,” says Scarlett. “For spring you’ll see pastel colours, slim leg trousers, and spring prints and patterns. Another spring trend is the embellishment of studs and jewels on fabrics.”
The men’s section will be a bright light on the otherwise expensive men’s fashion scene in Victoria.
“There will be a full range of men’s clothing in the store, everything from denim to the David Beckham body wear collection, basic T-shirts to really high-quality knits,” says Scarlett.
Scarlett says reaction to H&M opening at Uptown has been positive on social media. “People just seem to be excited to have fashion and quality at the best possible price come to Victoria,” she says.
But while some shoppers are ready to welcome H&M with open wallets, locally owned businesses aren’t as excited to see another international retailer hit the market in tough economic times.
“Forever 21 opened up on December 21, the Saturday before Christmas,” says Khloe Campbell, owner of Amelia Lee Boutique. “The Lower Johnson Street shops went from being steady, steady, steady to dead for that little while before Christmas. I don’t think we can avoid watching everything slow down initially, but as time goes on things will pick up again.”
Personalized customer service is something local businesses can offer that larger stores like H&M struggle with.
“I don’t like how there isn’t any customer service,” says Maia Langston, store manager of Indigo Apparel. “If you don’t know somebody who knows what looks good on you, how are you ever going to find what you are looking for? Everything in this store was picked out by hand. We know how it fits you. You can come in with any body shape and I’m going to know what looks good on you.”
H&M’s Scarlett understands that locally owned boutiques have trepidations with the large chain coming to Victoria, but she believes that the small stores and H&M can co-exist together.
“I think that we really value our neighbours and a good competitive marketplace,” says Scarlett. “I think it’s about offering the customers more choice, at the end of the day.”